[Bf-committers] Google Summer of Code 2016 - Adding CAD functionality to Blender

Jaume Bellet mauge at bixo.org
Sat Mar 5 21:42:48 CET 2016


I agree with the main purpose proposed as it would benefit users in general
and should be a first objective.

I do not think using other applicatons like inscape it's a good solution to
get drawings, because you lose any relationship wich is important for
manufacturing as you need to get drawings that could be changed and reused
efficiently. Also for technical docs.

I also think not all people using blender they use every parts of it.
El dia 05/03/2016 17.19, "Ton Roosendaal" <ton at blender.org> va escriure:

> Hi Duarte,
>
> Thanks for the insight, I fully agree to keep focus on Blender as a
> creative tool.
> A lot of architects use Blender. Not for CAD, but as free design and
> visualization tool.
>
> I also want to point students here at FreeCAD and other open source CAD
> projects.
>
> BRL-CAD is an umbrella vor 6 CAD projects even:
> http://brlcad.org/wiki/Google_Summer_of_Code/Project_Ideas
>
> Please support them! We really need good open source specialized CAD
> programs!
>
> It's well possible to draw a line between what's CAD and what's 3D
> modeling and visualization (and animation etc). We can make sure our
> programs work well together, rather than having Blender to add a CAD module
> that makes you to not need to learn or support FreeCAD.
>
> Why not streamline I/O with the popular CAD tools?
>
> In Blender: better precision modeling tools (to make buildings or
> industrial designed objects) are very welcome, provided it works together
> in harmony with creative real-time tools as we have now.
>
> My 2 cents,
>
> -Ton-
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> Ton Roosendaal  -  ton at blender.org   -   www.blender.org
> Chairman Blender Foundation - Producer Blender Institute
> Entrepotdok 57A  -  1018AD Amsterdam  -  The Netherlands
>
>
>
> > On 5 Mar, 2016, at 5:08, Duaret Ramos Sapo <duarte_ramos at sapo.pt> wrote:
> >
> > As an architect and a frequent Blender user doing precision modeling and
> > CAD like work daily, I believe such an editor for 2D layout our paper
> > space page work is a bit overkill and unnecessary in Blender.
> > It is very different from what Blender currently does, won't properly
> > fit in with current tools or workflow and will easily feel out of place.
> > Page layout is such a complex area covering so many different subjects
> > and tools that I fear it will always feel incomplete or lacking in
> > features compared to established dedicated tools (like say Inkscape, or
> > Scribus, or LibreOffice).
> > Blender already outputs renders in the form of images or even vector
> > graphics (SVG) with FreeStyle that can easily be set up as isometric
> > views and then used elsewhere in a dedicated page layout software and I
> > believe that is enough.
> >
> > I would much rather see efforts invested on areas where CAD workflow is
> > actually lacking in Blender, like say precision modeling tools for
> > better object snapping (more precise, more responsive, tracking points
> > like midpoints, edge extension, etc.), better transforms tools (base
> > points for moving, reference points for rotations, etc) CAD like tools
> > like trimming and extending, offsetting, fillet, chamfering, especially
> > for curve objects where such tools are severely lacking.
> >
> > This item in ideas page
> > <
> http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Ref/GoogleSummerOfCode/2016/Ideas#Improvements_for_Bezier_Curves
> >
> > details some of the things that need some work at least in the area of
> > bezier curves, and above all Justas Ingelevičius amazing work
> > <https://developer.blender.org/T45734> in his patch in the tracker which
> > is a much much needed improvement for Blender CAD-like workflow that
> > needs to be made in a way that can safely be merged to trunk.
> >
> > On 04-03-2016 15:20, Jaume Bellet wrote:
> >> I of course agree that blender is not cad tool, but imho lots of
> >> cad-utilities and workflows will improve it, and i think this should be
> the
> >> purpose.
> >>
> >> In my field of application as you said blender nowadays can be used on
> >> finals steps, to get renders and visualization purposes. Could be used
> in
> >> early steps for concepts, but lacks of tools. The whole idea should be
> the
> >> availability to go from beginning to the end, and this should include
> the
> >> availability to get drawings in a 2D space (let's say paper space), that
> >> could be used to get formal drawings for production if needed, or for
> >> technical documents.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> 2016-03-04 15:52 GMT+01:00 matmenu <matmenu at live.fr>:
> >>
> >>> Maybe contact Campbell, as he will work on custom editors for 2.8. But
> >>> I'm not sure this is something the users and the BF wants in Blender.
> >>>
> >>> What would be the advantage of such an editor over the normal quad
> >>> 3Dview or a normal orthogonal view? I may be wrong, but many users,
> even
> >>> architects and engineer know that Blender isn't a CAD program. What we
> >>> are looking for is not really to make a CAD program out of Blender (32
> >>> bit precision will avoid it anyway), but more to make operations that
> >>> are often required in the sketching (=concept phase) and rendering (=
> >>> final phase) process easier. And many of those addition, like better
> >>> snapping, benefit many users (people doing hard surface modelling,
> cars,
> >>> etc...). An editor only for CAD user sounds a bit to specific?
> >>>
> >>> Maybe you could explain with images better what would be the benefit of
> >>> such a new editor over the 3D view? If your work goes in the direction
> >>> of preparing for custom editors, then I guess it would awake much more
> >>> interest from users and programmers :) Your ISO parts editor could hen
> >>> be an example of such a custom editor, written in python on top of your
> >>> new API?
> >>>
> >>> On 04/03/2016 13:11, João Araújo wrote:
> >>>> Your work is amazing Jaume! I guess that it kills a few points from my
> >>>> initial list (assuming you are going to merge your code with the
> Blender
> >>>> master).
> >>>>
> >>>> Still, I would like to ear some opinions on the first topic of my list
> >>>> (editor that would allow the user to make ISO-compliant drawings of
> >>>> individual parts), which I consider the most important. I can
> implement
> >>> the
> >>>> other points as a python add-on.
> >>>>
> >>>> Does anyone have some suggestion as to who I could contact personally
> >>> that
> >>>> could possibly be interested in being a mentor for this?
> >>>>
> >>>> I will avoid blenderartists for a while, at least until I have more
> solid
> >>>> ideas.
> >>>>
> >>>> 2016-03-04 11:53 GMT+00:00 Jaume Bellet <mauge at bixo.org>:
> >>>>
> >>>>> https://vimeo.com/user2228784/videos
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Here are some videos of work done in a separate repo from bf official
> >>> one.
> >>>>> Work there is still in progress, not for production.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I tried the snap tools to be applied on blender, but the final
> decision
> >>> was
> >>>>> to wait, as the code was on transform, which is a little messy, and
> >>>>> affecting lots of areas, and was said to check if could be
> integrated in
> >>>>> the new coming widgets.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Any built-in cad features will be great ;)
> >>>>>
> >>>>> 2016-03-02 21:05 GMT+01:00 Daniel Salazar - patazstudio.com <
> >>>>> zanqdo at gmail.com>:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> Freecad could be imported in Blender as a python library. I say
> could
> >>>>>> because there's a little problem with freecad using py2.7
> >>>>>> Daniel Salazar
> >>>>>> patazstudio.com
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> On Wed, Mar 2, 2016 at 11:50 AM, matmenu <matmenu at live.fr> wrote:
> >>>>>>> Hi João,
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Good to see some interest in improving Blender's CAD capabilities
> :) I
> >>>>>>> think it would be a good idea to speak about it on Blenderartists,
> >>>>>>> giving some focus to avoid the Christmas list effect. From
> experience
> >>>>>>> and what I read on the forums though, improving the snapping system
> >>>>>>> would be very welcome.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> For dimensioning, there are already many addons, 2 of them are
> really
> >>>>>>> good:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>
> http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Extensions:2.6/Py/Scripts/Curve/Dimension
> >>>>>>> and
> >>>>>>>
> >>>
> https://www.blender3darchitect.com/2012/10/dimension-lines-for-blender-with-the-caliper-add-on/
> >>>>>>> and https://github.com/Antonioya/blender/tree/master/measureit.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> I find it interesting to have some work done in Python in this
> GSoC as
> >>>>>>> it will ensure users are able to use it in the end :)
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Regards
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On 02/03/2016 13:17, João Araújo wrote:
> >>>>>>>> Good afternoon,
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> I am a college student who has known Blender for a few years now,
> and
> >>>>>> would
> >>>>>>>> like to contribute in GSoC 2016 by adding CAD functionality. I
> would
> >>>>>> like
> >>>>>>>> to ear your thoughts on my project idea.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> I have been checking on what has been done to implement CAD in
> >>>>> Blender.
> >>>>>> I
> >>>>>>>> didn't find almost any software. Mostly there were forum
> discussions
> >>>>>> about
> >>>>>>>> how great it would be if Blender could have CAD features, while
> >>> others
> >>>>>>>> stated that it would be impractical.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> The only actual add-on I found was this one
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> http://www.cad4arch.com/cadtools/index.htm
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> but although it is still being developed, it is paid and only
> works
> >>>>> with
> >>>>>>>> Blender 2.49b. The author states an intention of embedding it into
> >>>>>> Blender,
> >>>>>>>> though.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>> From what I read, and based on my experience working with CAD
> >>>>>> packages, I
> >>>>>>>> compiled a list of targets for what I would propose myself to
> achieve
> >>>>>>>> during GSoC:
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> ordered from most important to less important
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>     - Add a new editor that would allow the user to make
> >>> ISO-compliant
> >>>>>>>> drawings of individual parts.
> >>>>>>>>         - This requires, from the top of my head, the ability of
> >>>>> drawing
> >>>>>> the
> >>>>>>>> 6 isometric views, at a standard scale, on standard sized paper
> (A4,
> >>>>> A3,
> >>>>>>>> etc.), adding dimensions (lengths and angles), centerlines, axes,
> >>>>> being
> >>>>>>>> able to do section views (with crosshatch drawing) and detail
> views.
> >>>>>>>>     - Add sketch tools (the ability to draw lines, circles,
> >>> rectangles,
> >>>>>> etc.
> >>>>>>>> ; this serves the purpose of increasing the precision of drawing
> with
> >>>>>>>> Blender)
> >>>>>>>>     - Add reference geometry (reference planes and axes)
> >>>>>>>>     - Add a dimensioning tool (something that allows the user to
> edit
> >>>>> the
> >>>>>>>> dimensions a posteriori the sketch being created)
> >>>>>>>>     - Modify the array modifier in order to allow explicit
> circular
> >>>>>> arrays
> >>>>>>>>          - This can already be achieved using a trick with
> empties,
> >>>>> but I
> >>>>>>>> would like to clarify this workflow and simplify it (for example,
> >>>>>> instead
> >>>>>>>> of the user rotating the empty by 360/n degrees, where n is the
> >>> number
> >>>>>> of
> >>>>>>>> objects, he would simply select n and the modifier would take
> care of
> >>>>>> the
> >>>>>>>> rest)
> >>>>>>>>     - Add a fillet tool (a very simple addition; can be done with
> >>>>> vertex
> >>>>>>>> groups and the bevel modifier currently; once again I simply want
> to
> >>>>>>>> simplify it)
> >>>>>>>>     - Add a precise offset tool (currently, I can simply extrude
> and
> >>>>>> scale ;
> >>>>>>>> I want to make this work with the dimensioning tool mentioned
> above)
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> I believe these are all feasible by me, with the first one being
> the
> >>>>>> most
> >>>>>>>> complex and one of the few requiring C programming. The others
> could
> >>>>> be
> >>>>>>>> implemented as a Python Add-On.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Best regards,
> >>>>>>>> Joao
> >>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>>>>>> Bf-committers mailing list
> >>>>>>>> Bf-committers at blender.org
> >>>>>>>> http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers
> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>>>>> Bf-committers mailing list
> >>>>>>> Bf-committers at blender.org
> >>>>>>> http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers
> >>>>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>>>> Bf-committers mailing list
> >>>>>> Bf-committers at blender.org
> >>>>>> http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers
> >>>>>>
> >>>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>>> Bf-committers mailing list
> >>>>> Bf-committers at blender.org
> >>>>> http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers
> >>>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>> Bf-committers mailing list
> >>>> Bf-committers at blender.org
> >>>> http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> Bf-committers mailing list
> >>> Bf-committers at blender.org
> >>> http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers
> >>>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Bf-committers mailing list
> >> Bf-committers at blender.org
> >> http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Bf-committers mailing list
> > Bf-committers at blender.org
> > http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers
>
> _______________________________________________
> Bf-committers mailing list
> Bf-committers at blender.org
> http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers
>


More information about the Bf-committers mailing list